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Vepsäläinen H, Skaffari E, Wojtkowska K, Barlińska J, Kinnunen S, Makkonen R, Heikkilä M, Lehtovirta M, Ray C, Suhonen E, Nevalainen J, Sajaniemi N, Erkkola M. A Mobile App to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Acceptance Among Finnish and Polish Preschoolers: Randomized Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2022; 10:e30352. [PMID: 34982718 PMCID: PMC8767468 DOI: 10.2196/30352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers are ideal venues for food education. As smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly popular in ECEC centers, technology can be used to deliver such pedagogical content. Evidence suggests that video games can affect fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among 9- to 12-year-old children, but studies among preschoolers are scarce. Objective This paper describes the development of the Mole’s Veggie Adventures app and its effectiveness in increasing FV acceptance among Finnish and Polish preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years. Methods A multiprofessional team created an app to be used in ECEC centers in groups of 3 to 10 children. The app aimed to increase vegetable acceptance, and it was built using elements that support the development of self-regulation and social skills. Altogether, 7 Finnish and 4 Polish ECEC centers participated in the study. Before randomization, parents reported background factors and their children’s willingness to taste different FVs. The ECEC professionals in the intervention arm were instructed to use the app at least once a week during the 3- to 4-week intervention period. The main outcomes in this unblinded, cluster-randomized study were FV acceptance and relative FV acceptance. The first was calculated as a sum variable describing the children’s willingness to taste 25 different FVs, the second as FV acceptance divided by the number of FVs served. We used analysis of covariance to compare the FV acceptance and relative FV acceptance scores between the intervention and control groups at follow-up. Results A total of 221 children were included in the analysis. At follow-up, the intervention group (115/221, 52%) had higher FV acceptance scores (baseline adjusted difference of mean 7.22; 95% CI 1.41-13.03) than the control group (106/221, 48%). The intervention effect was parallel for relative FV acceptance scores (baseline adjusted difference of mean 0.28; 95% CI 0.05-0.52). Conclusions The Mole’s Veggie Adventures app has the potential to increase FV acceptance among preschoolers and can be a valuable tool in supporting food education in ECEC centers. Furthermore, the app can be feasibly incorporated into preschool routines in countries with different educational environments. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05173311; https://tinyurl.com/4vfbh283
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Affiliation(s)
- Henna Vepsäläinen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Essi Skaffari
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Satu Kinnunen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riikka Makkonen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Maria Heikkilä
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikko Lehtovirta
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carola Ray
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eira Suhonen
- Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Nina Sajaniemi
- School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
- Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maijaliisa Erkkola
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Sääksjärvi K, Lehto E, Lehto R, Suhonen E, Leppänen M, Michels N, Saha M, Ray C, Vepsäläinen H, Pajulahti R, Heiman-Lindh A, Sainio T, Erkkola M, Roos E, Sajaniemi N. Associations between hair and salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase, and temperament dimensions among 3-6-year-olds. Horm Behav 2021; 135:105042. [PMID: 34418581 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Associations between hair cortisol concentration (HCC), diurnal salivary cortisol (sCort) and alpha-amylase (sAA), and temperament dimensions were examined among 3-6-year-old Finnish children (n = 833). Children's hair samples were collected at preschool, while parents collected five saliva samples from children during one weekend day and completed a questionnaire assessing child's temperament dimensions i.e. surgency, negative affectivity, and effortful control (HCC, n = 677; AUCg of sAA, n = 380; AUCg of sCort, n = 302; temperament dimensions, n = 751). In linear regression analysis, diurnal sCort associated positively with HCC, the association persisting after adjustments (β 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.42). In logistic regression analysis, increasing scores in effortful control associated with higher likelihood of having high HCC (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.07-2.03), the association slightly attenuating to non-significant after adjustments. Otherwise, no clear indication for associations between temperament and stress-related biomarkers were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katri Sääksjärvi
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Elviira Lehto
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Reetta Lehto
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eira Suhonen
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Marja Leppänen
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; Faculty of Medicine, P. O. Box 63, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Nathalie Michels
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Mari Saha
- Faculty of Education and Culture, P. O. Box 700, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Carola Ray
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Henna Vepsäläinen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Riikka Pajulahti
- Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anu Heiman-Lindh
- Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Taina Sainio
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Maijaliisa Erkkola
- Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eva Roos
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Food and Nutrition, P. O. Box 66, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Public Health, P. O. Box 20, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Nina Sajaniemi
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Teacher Education, P. O. Box 9, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; Philosophical Faculty, School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland, P. O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland.
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Vepsäläinen H, Hautaniemi H, Sääksjärvi K, Leppänen MH, Nissinen K, Suhonen E, Saha M, Lehto E, Ray C, Sajaniemi N, Erkkola M. Do stressed children have a lot on their plates? A cross-sectional study of long-term stress and diet among Finnish preschoolers. Appetite 2020; 157:104993. [PMID: 33065192 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We examined the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) - an indicator of long-term stress - and diet among preschoolers in a cross-sectional design. The participants were 597 Finnish 3-6-year-olds, and the data were collected in 2015-16. We used 4-cm hair samples to analyze HCC during the past four months. Food consumption was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and we used consumption frequencies of selected food groups as well as data-driven dietary pattern scores in the analyses. The parents of the participating children reported their educational level and family income. The researchers measured the children's weight and height. We examined the associations between HCC and diet using multilevel linear mixed models adjusted for age, gender, the highest education in the family, household relative income, and child BMI. Higher HCCs were associated with less frequent consumption of fruit and berries (B estimate -1.17, 95% CI -2.29, -0.05) and lower scores in a health-conscious dietary pattern (B estimate -0.38, 95% CI -0.61, -0,14). Higher HCCs were also associated with more frequent consumption of sugary beverages (B estimate 1.30, 95% CI 0.06, 2.54) in a model adjusted for age, gender and highest education in the family, but the association attenuated after further adjustments. Our results are parallel with previous studies that show a link between stress and unhealthy diet. In the future, longitudinal studies are needed to establish a causal relationship between stress and diet among children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henna Vepsäläinen
- University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Hannele Hautaniemi
- University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Katri Sääksjärvi
- University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Marja H Leppänen
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250, Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Kaija Nissinen
- Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Kampusranta 11, 60101, Seinäjoki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eira Suhonen
- University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mari Saha
- Tampere University, Faculty of Education and Culture, P.O. Box 700, 33014, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Elviira Lehto
- University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33014, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Carola Ray
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250, Helsinki, Finland; University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Nina Sajaniemi
- University of Helsinki, Department of Teacher Education, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; University of Eastern Finland, School of Applied Sciences and Teacher Education, P.O. Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland.
| | - Maijaliisa Erkkola
- University of Helsinki, Department of Food and Nutrition, P.O. Box 66, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Erkkola M, Vepsäläinen H, Ray C, Suhonen E, Lehtovirta M, Skaffari E, Sajaniemi N. Tool development: increasing preschoolers’ ability to delay gratification. Eur J Public Health 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cky218.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M Erkkola
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - C Ray
- Follkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland
| | - E Suhonen
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - M Lehtovirta
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | - E Skaffari
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Lehto E, Ray C, Vepsäläinen H, Korkalo L, Lehto R, Kaukonen R, Suhonen E, Nislin M, Nissinen K, Skaffari E, Koivusilta L, Sajaniemi N, Erkkola M, Roos E. Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) Study-Differences in Children's Energy Balance-Related Behaviors (EBRBs) and in Long-Term Stress by Parental Educational Level. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15:E2313. [PMID: 30347875 PMCID: PMC6210204 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the Increased Health and Wellbeing in Preschools (DAGIS) survey process and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in children's energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs), meaning physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors, and long-term stress that serve as the basis for the intervention development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during 2015⁻2016 in 66 Finnish preschools in eight municipalities involving 864 children (3⁻6 years old). Parents, preschool personnel, and principals assessed environmental factors at home and preschool with questionnaires. Measurement of children's EBRBs involved three-day food records, food frequency questionnaires (FFQ), seven-day accelerometer data, and seven-day sedentary behavior diaries. Children's long-term stress was measured by hair cortisol concentration. Parental educational level (PEL) served as an indicator of SES. Children with low PEL had more screen time, more frequent consumption of sugary beverages and lower consumption of vegetables, fruit, and berries (VFB) than those with high PEL. Children with middle PEL had a higher risk of consuming sugary everyday foods than children with high PEL. No PEL differences were found in children's physical activity, sedentary time, or long-term stress. The DAGIS intervention, aiming to diminish SES differences in preschool children's EBRBs, needs to have a special focus on screen time and consumption of sugary foods and beverages, and VFB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elviira Lehto
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Carola Ray
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Henna Vepsäläinen
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Liisa Korkalo
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Reetta Lehto
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Riikka Kaukonen
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eira Suhonen
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mari Nislin
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, New Territories, Hong Kong.
| | - Kaija Nissinen
- School of Food and Agriculture, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 412, 60320 Seinäjoki, Finland.
| | - Essi Skaffari
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Leena Koivusilta
- Department of Social Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, 20500 Turku, Finland.
| | - Nina Sajaniemi
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Maijaliisa Erkkola
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eva Roos
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, 00250 Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 66, 00100 Helsinki, Finland.
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Leonidov A, Redlich K, Satz H, Suhonen E, Weber G. Entropy and baryon number conservation in the deconfinement phase transition. Int J Clin Exp Med 1994; 50:4657-4662. [PMID: 10018107 DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.50.4657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Cleymans J, Nykänen E, Suhonen E. Reply to "Comments on 'Burning of baryon-rich quark-gluon plasmas' ". Phys Rev D Part Fields 1987; 35:1079. [PMID: 9957758 DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.35.1079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
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